GUIDING LEGISLATIVE PRINCIPLES AND ADVOCACY

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the San Fernando Valley would be the fifth largest city in America were it its own city. If the Valley was one city, the area’s total population (1.74 million residents) would be behind only New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston (in that order). As an integral part of the valley, Northridge is home to California State University, Northridge, which is the largest university in the state system and the largest employer in the region. Northridge is also home to a large manufacturing base, the Valley Performing Arts Center and more than 3000 businesses.

As such, the chamber’s business advocacy initiatives are local, regional, state and federal, in concert with our strategic advocacy partners, which includes the California Small Business Association (of which the chamber’s president and CEO is a board member of), the California Chamber of Commerce, Valley Industry and Commerce Association and the Valley Economic Alliance.

Air Quality

NCC supports programs to improve air quality that are centered on market based incentives that prioritize mobile source reductions that do not overburden employers and cause job losses.

Education

NCC supports structural reforms to bring education closer to the communities served, promote autonomy and entrepreneurship, and create a world class education system that will also serves the needs of employers for a highly skilled workforce.

Employer Mandates

NCC supports regulatory conformity among local, state and federal agencies affecting workplace rules, wages, and employer conduct—not those that would put local employers at competitive disadvantages and deter job growth and investment. Inasmuch as the city of Los Angeles has adopted a minimum wage law, NCC supports state legislation that would standardize minimum wages in California so as not to leave Los Angeles’ businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

Energy

NCC supports policies that promote safe, clean and reliable sources of energy through conservation, investments in new technologies and new source exploration, market-based fuel efficiency, permit streamlining and infrastructure development for new energy generation and transmission facilities.

Entertainment

NCC supports the expansion of the state film production tax credit program as well as policies that enhance and encourage filming, production and other supportive commerce involved in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles and across the state.

Healthcare

NCC supports nationally consistent policies that create more access to quality healthcare through programs that do not place undue financial and regulatory burden on small business.

Housing

NCC supports policies that increase housing for all income levels particularly along transit corridors.

Land Use

NCC supports policies that encourage long term planning for the appropriate placement of development without displacing existing commercial and industrial land that are significant to the preservation of job.